Labor Day Install Madness (build thread)

[pinhead66]

Next mod completed: putting some more junk in the trunk - Ultra Racing Trunk Brace and a Kicker 44CWCD84 sub-woofer.

Taking everything off/out to remove the rear deck is one of the worst things you have to do in this car... it just sucks. Also pretty much every video on youtube is for the coupe and the sedan is slightly different. I recommend watching one of the many coupe videos on youtube and then using these tips:

1) Remove the lower rear seat (Optional but it helps)
2) Remove the lower splash guards right inside the door near the floor
3) Drop the rear seats forward
4) Remove the weather stripping around the rear of the back doors, just pull out some to help, don't fully remove.
5) Remove bolts that hold next plastic piece. This piece is higher up from the piece you removed in step two.
6) Remove the bolts that hold the rear deck in place.
7) The tricky c pillar that is different on a sedan: Remove the highest piece of trim that runs along the rear window. Start at highest point at the rear window and pull toward the inside of the car. Work your way toward the rear going along the window. Once everything is loose near the rear of the car, the front part of the plastic must be slid out of a special clip that is supposed to stay in the car body. This is the only clip that does not come off with the pieces that are being removed. You need to pull the piece toward the front of the car to get it off this clip.
8) Last piece of plastic trim on the side of the car can now be removed.
9) Un-clip the 2 rear tweeters, they are glued into the rear deck.
10) Finally you can remove the rear deck.
11) Install is the reverse.

Other than the 4 10mm bolts (and one 10mm that holds the rear seat if you do the optional step 1) there is nothing but plastic clips that hold everything together... All this work just to replace the crappy stock sub-woofer.

I originally made a 3/4 inch mdf ring to mount the sub but that made it too tall to put the rear deck back on, so I said screw it and just literally pounded the sub into the stock hole. I spent over 2 hours making this ring that would use the stock bolts and after it was too tall (probably would have worked with 1/2 inch thick ring), I was angry and just made it work. The size of the Kicker was very close to the stock one and the metal in the rear deck is so flimsy that I was able to "massage" it in with a rubber mallet. Hopefully the vibrations of the sub dont make it rattle, but it is currently VERY solid. I tested it before putting everything back together.

The Ultra racing trunk brace was very straight forward, the only real issue is you do need to drill out one hole to make it bigger for the bolts that come with the bar. I also recommend using dental floss or fishing line to tie to the bots so you dont drop them down into hard to get places. The hardest bolt to get into the hole is this one that you drill:

The hole that needs to be enlarged is the one with the shavings around it... the original size was just like the hole next to it (below in the pic)

Here you can see the stock sub-woofer gone and the bar installed.

And finally all done with the carpet back and sub in... i didn't bother to trim the carpet cause its really not in the way of anything and doesn't look that bad.

The sub is no where near the bar even though it looks like it in this pic. The front of the sub magnet is more towards the rear than the bar. There is about 1 inch of space.

First time seeing this thread and I’m enjoying all the detail. Nice work oneverything. I agree on the type r shifter with acuity bits as one of the best mods you can do. Really satisfying too if you do it yourself. Did you feel any improvements with the trunk brace similar to the strut bar?

 

[2020MSMcivicSI]

First time seeing this thread and I’m enjoying all the detail. Nice work oneverything. I agree on the type r shifter with acuity bits as one of the best mods you can do. Really satisfying too if you do it yourself. Did you feel any improvements with the trunk brace similar to the strut bar?

The thing I notice most about the trunk brace was actually reduced buzzing from my interior. I occasionally got a buzzing noise from the roof/b-pillar area or maybe it even from the sunroof.... really hard to track down but I could push up on the roof liner in areas to make the buzzing stop. This still happens sometimes, but way less often.

The other change I think is that the rear end is more "snappy" when it breaks traction. I used to be able to really tell when I was approaching the traction limit but now it sort of "just happens". Don't get me wrong... I think that there is more traction available, it's just harder to tell when you run out of traction. This could also be a result of all my mods adding up and as I get more comfortable with the car, I'm pushing it harder.

The car is just more "solid" going trough turns: bumps in turns, changes in turning radius, increased throttle through the turn... it really is better to drive than stock.

 

[Jason Baker]

Next up is clutch... still don't know which one I'm going to get... people seem to have trouble with everything other than retro and I just don't like the $$$ or scarce availability.

The reason for clutch upgrade is that a custom tune is going to happen but I just don't think the stock clutch will hold it... so more prep is needed.

For now, I will re-flash the TSP stage 1 tune with advanced VSA which will reset the computer to "learn" what I have done. I will be monitoring stuff on the KTuner so if anything is out of wack, I will schedule an e-tune with DRob even without the clutch.

I’m not a pro but DRob or any tuner will tell you to make sure the clutch is replaced from OEM before tuning.
The tuners really hate it when they hook your car up to do the nasty and your clutch takes a shit on the dyno.
Just sharing from what I was told.
?

 

[2020MSMcivicSI]

I’m not a pro but DRob or any tuner will tell you to make sure the clutch is replaced from OEM before tuning.
The tuners really hate it when they hook your car up to do the nasty and your clutch takes a shit on the dyno.
Just sharing from what I was told.
?

A road tune is typically less aggressive than a dyno tune and that was what I was referring to doing before clutch install when I made that post... I have since been road tuned by DRob (just custom MAF scaling on top of the TSP stage 1) which involves logging on KTuner and sending e-mails back and forth with incremental map adjustments.

I recently purchased the type-r retro clutch based off DRob's advise... didn't want to post here cause it's just sitting in my house. Plan is to install the clutch late this month or early October... I'll be doing the install so bunch of pictures to come.

Also have the RV6 turbo already and that will be going on after I break in the clutch. I want to break in the clutch on my good tune rather than a RV6 turbo base map. After the clutch has over 500 miles on it, I will be installing the turbo and making the ~6 hour drive from Columbus to DRob's shop in Harrisburg to get really tuned.... don't know if I will make it before the winter but I hope so.

 

[2020MSMcivicSI]

Well it's been a week and put about 150 miles on the exhaust... here are the main difference between my custom setup made from the stock tubing and the 27won exhaust:

1) Above 3k - 27won quieter
2) Under 3k - 27won louder
3) Cold start - 27won much louder
4) Pops and burbles - 27won pops less but burbles more
5) Highway drone - 27won much quieter
6) Deceleration - 27won much quieter
7) Warm idle - about the same
8) Tone - custom is deeper, no rasp on either
9) WOT - hard to say which is louder up top, but 27won sounds better IMO (more racecar)

The main reason I decided to buy the 27won exhaust was because of the drone I got on my trip from Ohio -> Florida. Around Columbus, I cruise 70-75 on the freeways here with speed limit of 65. But when going to Florida, there are many roads with 70 mph limits and people drive faster in the southern states IMO. (They don't have the OH highway patrol)

When traveling in OH, there is almost no drone because I'm going slower, but when cruising at 80 on my way down to Florida (and sometime going faster with others going just as fast) there was a deep drone from my custom exhaust (3300-3500 rpm). It really sucked to listen to that for 12 hours each way, so I bought the 27won in hopes that its not too loud and they specifically designed their exhaust to take drone out.

I'm not planning on going to Florida again till next year, but some short sprints on the freeway and driving around town, there is much less exhaust noise north of 3k. Basically my old custom exhaust got louder the higher in the RPM you got, but with the 27won exhaust, its kind-of the same volume throughout the whole RPM range. (The tone of the 27won exhaust does change with RPM)

I'll be honest and say I really don't like how loud the 27won is when just driving normal city traffic... 2-3k is too loud, and that is where I spend most of my time when driving. But it is way better on the freeway, way better on decel, better when ripping gears, and I like the extra burbles at low speeds. I'm also now worried about pissing off my neighbors in the morning with the cold start being louder, and with the extra burbles... I really have to early shift (2.2k RPM) till out of my neighborhood on my drive to work.

I wish there was a way to combine my custom exhaust's 2-3k sound with the 27won... this exhaust is so pretty, I really don't want to hack it up but I might have to try adding another resonator. Maybe with some more miles, it will quiet down a little??? (I doubt it)

 

[arpypat]

Well it's been a week and put about 150 miles on the exhaust... here are the main difference between my custom setup made from the stock tubing and the 27won exhaust:

1) Above 3k - 27won quieter
2) Under 3k - 27won louder
3) Cold start - 27won much louder
4) Pops and burbles - 27won pops less but burbles more
5) Highway drone - 27won much quieter
6) Deceleration - 27won much quieter
7) Warm idle - about the same
8) Tone - custom is deeper, no rasp on either
9) WOT - hard to say which is louder up top, but 27won sounds better IMO (more racecar)

The main reason I decided to buy the 27won exhaust was because of the drone I got on my trip from Ohio -> Florida. Around Columbus, I cruise 70-75 on the freeways here with speed limit of 65. But when going to Florida, there are many roads with 70 mph limits and people drive faster in the southern states IMO. (They don't have the OH highway patrol)

When traveling in OH, there is almost no drone because I'm going slower, but when cruising at 80 on my way down to Florida (and sometime going faster with others going just as fast) there was a deep drone from my custom exhaust (3300-3500 rpm). It really sucked to listen to that for 12 hours each way, so I bought the 27won in hopes that its not too loud and they specifically designed their exhaust to take drone out.

I'm not planning on going to Florida again till next year, but some short sprints on the freeway and driving around town, there is much less exhaust noise north of 3k. Basically my old custom exhaust got louder the higher in the RPM you got, but with the 27won exhaust, its kind-of the same volume throughout the whole RPM range. (The tone of the 27won exhaust does change with RPM)

I'll be honest and say I really don't like how loud the 27won is when just driving normal city traffic... 2-3k is too loud, and that is where I spend most of my time when driving. But it is way better on the freeway, way better on decel, better when ripping gears, and I like the extra burbles at low speeds. I'm also now worried about pissing off my neighbors in the morning with the cold start being louder, and with the extra burbles... I really have to early shift (2.2k RPM) till out of my neighborhood on my drive to work.

I wish there was a way to combine my custom exhaust's 2-3k sound with the 27won... this exhaust is so pretty, I really don't want to hack it up but I might have to try adding another resonator. Maybe with some more miles, it will quiet down a little??? (I doubt it)

The 27won exhaust sounds real good, but once you get rid of the factory DP, almost any exhaust setup will be loud with some drone. I'd say try it with the factory DP before hacking it up!

 

[2020MSMcivicSI]

The 27won exhaust sounds real good, but once you get rid of the factory DP, almost any exhaust setup will be loud with some drone. I'd say try it with the factory DP before hacking it up!

For a 1.5 liter inline 4, it does sound really good... basically I'm being an old man here and my only problem is just that it's too loud under 3k... but definitely not going back to stock DP. I'll hack up the 27won exhaust before I put the stock DP on but will probably just sell the 27won if I continue to not like it instead of modify it.

Other ideas would be add sound insulation to the spare tire area (really don't want to add weight but what else is there?). I forgot to say in my original review that the sound of the exhaust is more "behind me". My custom exhaust sounded more like middle-rear of the car and 27won sounds like all the sound is out the tailpipe, so maybe I could live with it if I make it quieter to me while driving???

Could also get a type-r exhaust and modify for sedan, or get another stock SI exhaust to try more configurations. It costs too much to keep buying aftermarket kits.

Not going to do anything for now... need more time with it.

 

[Wingman520]

Fantastic write up since I am just now seeing this. Also, hello fellow Ohioian! I'm in the Akron/Canton area.

 

[2020MSMcivicSI]

Really took my time with this one to install "professionally": AEM X-Series Temp Gauge:

I moved my kturner to the location in front of the shifter using the stand sold by two-step performance to make room for this. The gauge is held in place by a Aeroforce 52mm Single Vent Pod that you can get on e-bay for about $100 and in my opinion - worth it! It looks about as stock as you can get:

For installation, I bought a new drain plug for my oil pan that holds the sensor. Here is a pic of threading the sensor into the new drain plug to give ya an idea.

Then to wire it up I used an "add a circuit" fuse tap on the ACC fuse in the driver's side fuse panel. There is also a good ground screw right new to the fuse panel plastic that holds it in place, so wiring was a breeze. The wire then runs through the huge grommet behind the battery, along the firewall and down to the oil pan. I did have to get creative with a zip tie to keep the wire from touching the axle.